Pressure balancing arrangement for a multiple flow device

ABSTRACT

A multiple flow fluid handling device includes a rotor having a rotor end face with rotor ports which cooperate with the control ports of a stationary control end face of a control body. The control body has cylindrical portions slidingly fitting into cylindrical eccentric pressure chambers of a stationary closure means. The eccentric pressure chambers communicate with high pressure passages in the closure means, and the pressure in the cylindrical pressure chambers produce a resultant force which presses the control end face against the rotor end face and compensates the pressure forces urging the control body away from the rotor.

ted States Patent Eickmann 1 Sept. 11, 1973 [54] PRESSURE BALANCING ARRANGEMENT 3,066,613 12/1962 Reinke 91/485 FOR A MULTIPLE FLQW DEVICE 3,092,036 6/1963 Creighton v 91/485 3,199,297 10/1965 Croswhite 91/487 [76] Inventor: Karl Eiclkmann, 2420 lsshlki flayamzkmachi, xanagawwken, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Ja a 1,146,966 7/1966 Great Britain 91/485 [22] Filed: 1972 Primary Examiner-William L. Freeh [21] App]. No.: 236,596 Attorney-Michael S; Striker 30 Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT Apr 2 1971 Austria h A 2856 A multiple flow fluid handling device includes a rotor i 'T having a rotor end face with rotor ports which cooper- 52 us. c1. 91/485 91/492 ate with the a end 511 no. Cl. F0111 13/06 face The has Cylindrical 581 Field oi Search 91/485 491 492 190mm slidingly fitting cylmdrical eccentric P 1 sure chambers of a stationary closure means The eccentric pressure chambers communicate with high [56] Ik Cited pressure passages in the closure means, and the pressure in the cylindrical pressure chambers produce a re- UNITED STA TES PATENTS sultant force which presses the control end face against 3 E l a1 the rotor end face and compensates the pressure forces 2 895 426 7i1959 1:: 91/492 urging the control body away from the rotor. 3,056,357 10/1962 Bohnhoff 91/487 12 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEUSEPI nan SHEEI 1 [If Fig. I

2 Fig. 2 8 2 26 l I67 3 25 f 4 q\\ J 24 /2 5 l3 4 n 6 J 3 /a Fig. 4

INVENTOR KARL E/CKMAN/V PATENTED 1 3.757. 648

sum 2 OF 2 \I 75 I N V E NTOR.

KARL E/CKMAN/V PRESSURE EAILANCHNG ARRANGEMENT FOR A MULTHPLE FLOW DEVHQE BACKGROUND OF THE lNVENTlON The present invention is concerned with a control body with a control face which is pressed against a rotor face of a multiple flow device, such as pumps, compressors or hydraulic motors. Multiple flow devices of this type have more than one set of working chambers and displacement pistons or vanes in the same. Fluid such as a liquid or gas may flow through the working chambers in more than one flow between separate inlets and outlets.

In accordance with my US. Pat. No. 3,561,328, control bodies projecting into pressure chambers and are pressed against the respective rotor end of a fluid handling device. The arrangement has made it possible to construct and build pumps, motors, hydraulic transmission, and the like economically, even for very high pressures.

The arrangement according to the prior art has the disadvantage that the control body is constructed for a single flow, which means that thecontrol body is only associated with one of the fluid streams flowing into the device. if any multiple flow devices were provided with control bodies according to the prior art, several control bodies had to be associated with the device, and one control body placed at each end of the rotor, which has disadvantages. n the one hand, the control body on the drive side has to have a large diameter, permitting the passage of the drive shaft of sufficient thickness through a central bore. This resulted in large diameters of the control face of the control body and of the rotor face of the rotor, causing friction and leakage which detrimentally affect the efficiency of the device. On the other hand, if the pressures at the two rotor ends are different, or if the flows through the device are different, great pressure is exerted on the rotor end faces. If the pressure difference is very high, overheating, leakage, or separations of the control face from the rotor face takes place, unless specific measures are taken for axially supporting the rotor, which adds to the cost of the rotor.

SUMMARY OF THE lNVENTlON it is the object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art, and to increase the efficiency of multiple flow fluid handling devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pressure actuated control body only on one side of the rotor of a multiple flow device.

With this object in view, a closure part of the device is provided with several fluid containing pressure chambers which are radially and axially staggered. At least one sealing surface is provided which is common to two pressure chambers, and is eccentric to an inner and/or outer sealing surface. The pressure chambers of the closure means cooperate with eccentric portions of a control body closing the pressure chambers in sealing and sliding contact so that the control body is pressed by the pressure fluid in the pressure chambers against the rotor in which the two sets of working chambers and displacement members are provided. In accordance with the invention, the control face of the con trol body which is pressed against the rotor face of the rotor, has radially staggered control ports separated by a common wall. in accordance with a modified embodiment, the control body is divided into more than one control body, each of which cooperates with the corre' sponding face portion of the rotor face.

In another modified embodiment, counterpressure chambers are provided between the closure means and the control body, and preferably the control body is provided with means for connecting the counterpressure chambers with the respective fluid containing pressure chambers.

In an advantageous modification of the invention, the control body has two passages for high pressure fluid, and a common low pressure inlet for several groups of working chambers and displacement members in the rotor.

it is advantageous to mount the rotor in an annular ball bearing supported by the control body.

The two sets of working chambers in the rotor are connected with two sets of rotor passages with ports on the rotor end faces. The rotor ports of different sets are located on circles having different radius. The control face of the control body is provided with corresponding control ports located on two circles having different radii corresponding to the radii of the rotor ports.

Either the control body, or the rotor body can be provided with a valve plate forming, respectively, the control face and the rotor face. The material of the valve plate is selected to reduce friction.

It is also possible to provide a set of working chain-- bers at each end of the rotor, and to radially and/or axially stagger the respective rotor end portions.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRKPTION OF THE DRAWlNG FIG. 11 is an axial sectional view illustrating a first embodiment of the control valve of the invention;

HQ. 2 is a schematic view taken along the axis of the central valve in MG. 11;

MG. 3 is a fragmentary axial sectional view illustrating a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view taken along the axis of the control valve in FlG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary axial sectional view illustrating a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view taken along the axis of the control valve in FIG. 5; and

H6. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken on line Vll-Vll in FIG. 5.

DESCRlPTlON OF THE PREFERRED EMBODlMENTS Referring first to H68. 11 and 2, the rotor 1 of the double flow pump or motor is rotatably mounted in a housing, and has two sets of working chambers 12 and 13 in which first and second sets of displacement means to and 1'7, shown to be radial pistons, are provided. Rotor 1 has a planar rotor end face 8 provided with sets of ports 112, M33 arranged along concentric circles of different radius with respect to the rotor axis, and being the open ends of first and second sets of axially extending rotor passages which are connected with the first and second sets of working chambers 12 and 13. The rotor ports 112 are associated with the working chambers or cylinders 12, and the rotor ports 113 are associated with the working chambers or cylinders 13.

The other end of the rotor is supported by a thrust roller bearing 15 against axial movement.

The rotor l is supported for rotation in an annular ball bearing 18 whose outer ring is fixedly secured in a stationary closure means 2 which is part of the housing of the apparatus, and may be a detachable cover of the housing.

Closure means 2 has fluid containing pressure chambers 3 and 4 communicating with high pressure outlets 10 and 11, a low pressure chamber 28 communicating with the low pressure inlet 9, and a pressure relieved chamber 5. Chamber 5 has a cylindrical inner surface 24, and a corresponding concentric inner cylinderical surface 27 is provided at the other end of closure means 2.

The concentric cylindrical inner surfaces of the pressure chambers in closure means 2 are slidingly and sealingly engaged by corresponding cylindrical outer surfaces of a control body 6. The fluid pressure chamber 4 is eccentric to the axis of rotation of the rotor and has an axis which is parallel to the rotor axis and spaced from the same and the concentric axis of the control body 6 a radial distance 22.

The control body 6 is stepped and has concentric cylindrical portions slidingly and sealingly fitting into the concentric pressure chambers, and eccentric cylindrical portions slidingly and sealingly fitting into the eccentric pressure chambers. The eccentric cylindrical surface 81 fits into the eccentric inner cylindrical surface 25, and closes the pressure chamber 4, while permitting axial movement of the control body 6 toward the rotor end face 8. Surfaces 25 and 81 are cylindrical and have centers located on an axis which is spaced a distance 22 from the rotor axis. Due to the sealing engagement between the cylindrical surfaces 81 and 25, the pressure chamber 4 is closed.

The control body 6 has another cylindrical portion with an outer cylindrical surface 82 whose axis is spaced the distance 23 from the rotor axis, and which slidingly and sealingly engages the cylindrical inner surface 26 of the closure means 2. Consequently, the eccentric pressure chamber 3 is closed by the respective cylindrical portion of the control body 6 at one end in such a manner that limited axial movement of the control body 6 is possible.

On the right side, the control body 6 has a stationary control face 7 cooperating with the rotor face 8, and provided with control ports cooperating with the working chamber ports 112, 113. p Due to the fluid pressure in the pressure chambers 3 and 4, control body 6 is urged toward the right as viewed in FIG. 1 so that the stationary control face 7 is slidingly engaged by the rotating rotor face 8.

A wide inlet passage 9 is provided in the closure means 2 and communicates with the low pressure chamber 28 which is formed between the concentric sealing face 27 and the eccentric sealing face 26 of pressure chamber 3.

Closure means 2 has high pressure outlet passages 10 and 11 respectively communicating with pressure chambers 3 and 4 and with control passages and 21 which open in control ports on the control face 7 cooperating with the rotor ports 112 and 113. The low pressure inlet passage 9 communicates with the low pressure chamber 19 which is connected with two control ports opening on control surface 7 and communicating with the rotor ports 113 and 112, respectively. Fluid passages 20 and 21 are separated from each other by a wall of control body 6. The high pressure passage 20 connects the pressure chamber 3 with the rotor ports 112, and high pressure passage 21 connects the pressure chamber 4 with the rotor ports 113. Consequently, the high pressure passages 10 and 11 are respectively associated with the working chambers 12 and 13.

The low pressure inlet passage 9, and the respective low pressure chamber 28 communicate through passage 19 with two radially spaced control ports cooperating with rotor ports 112 and 113 so that the working chambers 12 and 13 have a common inlet passage 9. This arrangement saves a second inlet passage, and on the other hand has the advantage that the wide control passage 19 produces less flow resistance than two passages. Furthermore, the great cross section of passage 19 facilitates the manufacture and reduces the cost of the apparatus.

A particular advantage of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 resides in that due to the provision of a common inlet channel 9 and passage 19, with the low pressure chamber 28, not only the axial length of the apparatus is reduced, but particularly that it is possible to increase the radial distances 22, 23 from the rotor axis so much that no separate counterpressure chamber, opposing the fluid pressure chambers 3 and 4, need be provided. This is due to the fact that the common inlet pressure chamber 28 permits it to radially increase the radial distances 22 and 23, and thereby to move the eccentric axes of the pressure chambers 3 and 4 so far in radially outward direction that the center of gravity of the axial fluid pressure produced by the pressure chambers 3 and 4 is located above the corresponding center of gravity of the fluid pressure between the rotor face 8 and the control face 7 of rotor 1 and control body 6. The term center of gravity is used in this connection to define the point on which the resultant of all pressure forces will act. Due to this arrangement of the invention, a counter-pressure chamber of the type disclosed in my 0.8. Pat. No. 3,561,328 is not required. However, the omission of a counterpressure chamber is not always possible, and particularly, the counterpressure chamber is required if the respective centers of the fluid forces do not coincide. This is not the case if in control body 6, as shown in FIG. 5, two inlet passages are provided. In such an event, it is difficult to displace the eccentric axes of the pressure chambers far enough in radial outward direction. Therefore, such cases require, particularly for high fluid pressures, counterpressure chambers of the type which will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

It is a particular advantage of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 that the inlet conduit is common for both sets of working chambers 12 and 13 in which the pistons l6 and 17 reciprocate since counterpressure chambers can be eliminated, and the axial length of the apparatus reduced. Another advantage of this embodiment is its simplicity and ease of manufacture. Due to the provision of a common sealing partition between the radially offset control ports of passages 20 and 21, the diameter of the control body 6 can be made small, whereby the friction and leakage from the stationary and rotary faces 7 and 8 is reduced. Tests have been shown that apparatus, as shown in FIG. 1, can be operated at rotary speeds of over 6,000 rpm at 300 atmospheres.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 provides two control bodies instead of one, one control body being surrounded by the other. in this manner, it is possible to provide an inner rotor face portion 38 and an annular outer rotor face portion dd, respectively cooperating with an inner control face of the inner control body 36, while the annular outer rotor face d3 cooperates with the annular control face of the outer control body 56..

The rotor 3E, 13 of the embodiment of FIGS. 3 has working chambers 113 cooperating with rotor ports K13, and other working chambers 44, d6 which are preferably constructed as rotor slots for mounting radial vanes of a vane motor or pump.

Rotor passages H112 connect the working chambers dd, 46 with the rotor face 48 where the passages open in rotor ports. Axially and radially offset, or only radially offset, is the inner rotor face 3% in which the rotor ports 113 from the worlring chambers 13, are provided. The annular rotor face id is slidingly and sealingly engaged by the control face 47 of control body 56, while the inner rotor face 318 is slidingly engaged by the control face 37 of control body 1%..

The recess 55 in the control body 56 is sufficiently large to permit the inner control body 36 axial movement. Recess 55 in the outer annular control body 56 can also be made large enough so that the inner control body 36 is not only movable in axial direction, but also in radial direction, or in a spherical or threedirnensional movement relative to the outer annular control body 56.

Closure means 32 is again provided with a pressure relieved chamber 5 and with a cylindrical inner surface 24 which is slidingly and sealingly engaged by the outer cylindrical surface of the control body 36.. Closure means 32 has also a chamber with a concentric cylindrical outer face 27 to which a portion of the control body 56 is fitted for sliding and sealing engagement during axial movement.

in accordance with the invention, the embodiment of lFlGS. 3 and d has additional cylindrical concentric surfaces illl and 45, which may also be eccentrically arranged. The cylindrical surface ill in the closure means is engaged by cylindrical portion of control body 36, while the cylindrical inner surface 45 is engaged by a cylindrical portion of the control body 56. Between the inner surface 2 and 41, and eccentrically offset thereto, the axis having the radial distance 22 from the rotor axis, the eccentric cylindrical inner surface 25 is located which receives the outer cylindrical surface 35 of a cylindrical portion of control body 36 in sliding and sealing engagement. Between the inner surfaces 2d and 25, closure means 32, which is closed in one direction by the control body 36, has a fluid containing pressure chamber 3d. A passage 111 is connected with pressure chamber 4i, and a passage 39 connected with pressure chamber 34. The pressure chamber d communicates with the control passage 21 which passes axially through control body as toward the inner rotor face 38. Passage dd connects the pressure chamber 3d with the control port on control face 37 cooperating with rotor face 3%. When the fluid containing passages 39, 3d and dill, serve as inlets, the other fluid containing passages ill, 4, 211 serve as fluid outlets, and the condi- (ions are reversed when the direction of flow is reversed. Passages M3 communicate with the control ports of control body 36.

Between the inner surfaces 4% and 27, the eccentric cylindrical inner surface as, and the control portion 36. with the outer cylindrical surface as are located in eccentric positions with the axis spaced the distance 23 from the rotor axis. Between the inner surfaces 45 and 2d, the fluid containing pressure chamber 3 is provided in the closure means 32, closed by the respective cylindrical portion as in one direction. Between the inner surfaces 26 and 2'7, the fluid containing pressure chamber 28 is provided, partly closed by a portion of the control body 56. The inlet passage W is connected with pressure chamber 3, and the inlet passage 9 is connected with pressure chamber 28. The passage 20 extends from the fluid pressure chamber 3 through control body 56 to a control port cooperating with the rotor face portion Alb. Passage 119 extends from the pressure chamber 23 through the control body 56 to the port cooperating with the rotor face portion 48. When the fluid containing passages 9, 2b, 19 serve as inlets, the fluid containing passages 20, 3 and 10 serve as outlets for the fluid, if the fluid flows in reverse direction. Rotor ports 112 cooperate with the control ports on the control face portion of control body so.

The schematic cross-sectional views of N68. 2 and d illustrate only the most important inner cylindrical surfaces of the pressure chambers 25 and 2b in the closure means 2 or 32. FIGS. 2 and 4 only serve the purpose to illustrate clearly the eccentric positions of the cylindrical surfaces 25, 26 in relation to the centric surface 24.

The embodiment of H6. 5 is particularly advantageous since it is suited for operation in opposite flow directions, and permits very high pressures, particularly because counterpressure chambers are provided which compensate eccentrically acting overpressure so that the embodiment of HG. 5 in which several counterpressure chambers are provided, obtains an almost uniform pressure in the area of the engaging rotor and control faces of rotor s1 and control body 66, irrespective of great pressure differences in the several passages, and also independently of the direction of flow of fluid through the machine.

The rotor 6B is mounted for rotation in bearing 14, and in other bearings, and has rotor passages l2 and 13 which are spaced different radial distances from the rotor axis. A rotary valve plate 118 is shown to be secured to rotor 6i, forming a part of the same, with rotor ports H2 and M3 communicating with the rotor passages i2 and i3 Rotor plate or control plate Ed has the advantage that its material can be suitably selected for sliding cooperation with the control face of the control body on, and furthermore permits exchange when worn. Instead of securing control plate in to the rotor, it can also be secured to the stationary control body 66, and having the respective surface confronting the rotor till as control face.

in the rotary control plate id of the embodiment of FIG. 5, the rotor ports H2 and i113 are aligned with the rotor passages 12 and 113 in the rotor 6E. The ports 112 and lid open into control ports Kw, Md, 1121 or 11410 of the control body as. The rotor ports R12 are spaced the same radial distances from the rotor axis as the control portslllti and R20, and during each revolution of rotor 61, they communicate alternately with the control ports 119 and 120 for supplying and discharging fluid. The rotor ports 113 are spaced from the axis the same radial distance as the control ports 140 and 121 of the other fluid stream flowing through the double flow hydraulic machine, and communicate alternately during each rotor revolution with the control ports 140 and 121 for supplying and discharging the respective stream of fluid. In the closure means 62, which may be divided along the surface 99, for facilitating the manufacture of the several pressure chambers, the centric cylindrical inner surfaces 24, 67, 69, 70 and 71 are provided whose axes coincide with the rotor axis.

Furthermore, the closure means 62 has the eccentric, but cylindrical inner surface 25 whose axis is spaced the distance 22 from the rotor axis. Another eccentric cylindrical inner surface 68 is arranged in the closure means 62 and has an eccentric axis spaced the radial distance 23 from the rotor axis. The control body 66 is arranged in recesses of the closure means 62 and has cylindrical centric portions which slidingly and sealingly engage the above-described centric cylindrical inner surfaces, and are movable in the same in axial direction to a limited extent. The control body 66 is provided with eccentric outer cylindrical surfaces which fit into the eccentric inner surfaces 25 and 68, respectively, and are movable in the same in axial direction to a limited extent.

Control body 66, and closure means 62 together form the following chambers.

The pressure relieved concentric chamber at the end of the control body 66, which may be connected with air at atmospheric pressure, and contain mechanical biasing means, such as a spring, does not receive a pressure fluid. The fluid containing pressure chamber 4 is located between the centric inner cylindrical surface 24 and the eccentric inner surface 25. The fluid containing pressure chamber 72 is located between the eccentric inner surface 25 and the concentric inner surface 67. The fluid containing pressure chamber 73 is located between the concentric inner surface 67, and the eccentric inner surface 68. The fluid containing pressure chamber 74 is located between the eccentric inner surface 68 and the concentric inner surface 69. The counterpressure chamber 75 between the cylindrical inner surfaces 69 and 17 contains fluid at high pressure and is connected with a high pressure chamber. The counterpressure chamber 76 between the cylindrical inner surface 70 and 71 contains high pressure fluid and is connected with a corresponding pressure chamber in which fluid under high pressure is contained. The cylindrical inner surface 70 can be constructed in the extension 63 of the closure means 62 as a stable and precise guide for the control body 66. The axial lengths of the fluid containing pressure chambers, and of the respective portion of the control body are dimensioned so that between the respective parts of the control body and the axially extending walls of the chambers, some space is left so that axial movement of the control body 66 is not obstructed. Pressure chambers through which fluid flows at low pressure serve only for the passage of the fluid. However, the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5 permits a flow of fluid through the hydraulic machine with different fluid streams in any direction so that those chambers through which during flow in one direction only low pressure fluid flows, serve as high pressure chambers when the flow is reversed.

The bore 92 extends through the control body 66, and permits the use of a shaft or tubular member which passes through the control body. The control body 66 has further axially extending fluid passages 20, 21, 19 and 40. Fluid passage 20 connects the pressure chamber 73 with the control port 120. Fluid passage 21 connects pressure chamber 4 with the control port 121. Fluid passage 40 connects pressure chamber 72 with the control port 140, and fluid passage 19 connects the pressure chamber 74 with the control port 119.

The control ports 120, 121, 1 l9 and 140, open on the stationary control face 7 which cooperates with the rotary face 8. It is the purpose of the apparatus of the invention that due to the pressure in the pressure chambers, the stationary control face 7 is pressed with a suitable pressure against the rotor face 8 so that the leakage losses and friction losses in the clearance between the faces 7 and 8 becomes a minimum. In order to reduce the diameter of the control faces, and in order to reduce the leakage and the friction between the same, a common sealing wall 87 is provided, and another sealing wall 88 is provided between the control ports 119 and 140.

Due to the construction of the embodiment of FIG. 5 in accordance with the invention, several fluid flows can be separated from each other and flow at different pressures in different directions through the several sets or groups of working chambers of the multiple flow fluid handling machine represented by the rotor in the drawing. From inlet 9, fluid flows through chamber 74, passage 19, ports 119 and 112 into the working chambers 12 and out of the same through ports 112 and 120, passage 20, chamber 73 and outlet 10 out of the apparatus, or the direction of flow of fluid may be reversed. From inlet 11, fluid flows through chamber 4, passage 21, control ports 121 and rotor ports 113 into and out of the set or group of working chambers 12, and out of the same through ports 113, 140, passage 40 and chamber 72 to the passage 39 and out of the machine, or the fluid flow may take place in the opposite direction. Each of the pressure chambers applies suitable pressure to the control body which is derived from the effective cross-sectional surface of the respective chamber, and the fluid pressure in the respective chamber. The diameter of the inner surfaces of the pressure chambers, and if they are eccentric, the radial spaces of the eccentric axis thereof, must be exactly determined and constructed in order to obtain in accordance with the invention a pressure which is not only uniform but of a predetermined height at all portions of the control face 7 and rotor face 8. Therefore, the following calculations are important since the desired effect of the invention could not be obtained without suitably dimensioning the parts.

The schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 shows the important dimensions. The diameter of the inner cylindrical surface 24 is (1", while the diameter of the cylindrical inner surface 67 is D". The radius of the eccentric inner cylindrical surface 25 is R". For the embodiment of FIG. 5, the following equation should be used:

When the parts are calculated in accordance with this equation, the effective surfaces of the pressure chambers 4 and 72 have the same area. For the two outer pressure chambers 73 and 74 of the other flow of fluid, corresponding calculations can be carried out.

In addition to the above equation, the centers of gravity of the pressure forces acting in the pressure chambers, and the pressure forces acting in the rotor, have to be found, since they determine the eccentricity between the concentric and eccentric cylindrical inner surfaces. The pressure center of gravity, or point where the pressure in pressure chamber 4 acts, is to be placed above the center of gravity or pressure center 103 of the region of the control port 121. The center of the pressure of the pressure chamber 73 is to be placed above the pressure center 1104 of the region at the control port 120. The pressure center 1108 of the pressure chamber 72 is to be placed above the pressure center 1102 of the area around the control port 1410, and the pressure center log of pressure chamber 74 is to be placed above the pressure center 1101 of the area at the control port ll 19, but it is necessary to also consider the counterpressure chambers 75 and 76. a

An annular sealing ring 91 consisting of a synthetic material can be provided between the closure means 62 and the control body 66 for eliminating leakage.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of arrangements for pressing a control body against a rotor end face having ports differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an arrangement for pressing a control body with its control face against a rotor with its rotor face by pressure forces produced by eccentric pressure chambers in a stationary cover, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. in a multiple flow device, in combination, a pressure balancing arrangement comprising rotor means rotatable about a rotor axis, and having two sets of working chambers, at least one rotor end face, and two sets of rotor passages connected with said two sets of working chambers, respectively, and opening in two radially spaced sets of rotor ports on said rotor end face; stationary closure means having inlet and outlet means, and being formed with a plurality of pressure chambers having cylindrical inner surfaces of different diameters separated by shoulders of said closure means, and including at least one first eccentric pressure chamber and at least one second eccentric pressure chamber,

said eccentric pressureichambers having axes parallel to said rotor axis; and stepped control body means having at least first and second eccentric cylindrical portions slidingly and sealingly fitting into said first and second eccentric pressure chambers, said stepped control body means having a control face cooperating with said rotor end face, said cylindrical eccentric portions having control passages therethrough opening at one end of said control body means in control ports on said control face cooperating with said ,rotor ports, and communicating at the other end of said control body with said inlet and outlet means whereby the pressure fluid in said first and second eccentric pressure chambers presses said control body means with said control face against said rotor end face with a resulant force compensating the eccentric pressure force produced by high pressure and low pressure fluid in said control ports during rotation of said rotor means.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control passages and control ports are radially staggered; and wherein said conrol body includes wall means separating said control ports.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control body means includes two control bodies, each of said control bodies having eccentric cylindrical portions slidingly and sealingly fitting into corresponding eccentric pressure chambers in said closure means.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control passages include two high pressure control passages having control ports cooperating with said two sets of rotor passages and ports, respectively, and a low pressure control passage opening in two low pressure control ports cooperating with said two sets of rotor passages and ports.

5. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 further comprising annular ball bearing means supporting said rotor means in said closure means for rotation about said rotor axis; and wherein said control body means is located within said annular ball bearing means.

6. An arrangement as claimed in claim ll wherein one means of said rotor means and control body means includes a valve plate having the respective face of said rotor face and control face, and having ports cooperating with the ports of the respective other face of said rotor face and control face.

7. An arrangement as claimed in claim I wherein said control body means has a concentric cylindrical portion of large diameter provided with said control face, and a concentric cylindrical portion of small diameter at the end remote from said control face, and wherein said closure means has concentric cylindrical inner surfaces slidingly matching the outer cylindrical surfaces of said concentric cylindrical portions.

8. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control body means includes an inner control body and an outer annular control body surrounding said inner control body, said inner control body having a concentric cylindrical portion of large diameter provided with a part of said control face, a concentric cylindrical portion of samll diameter at the end remote from said part of said control surface, and an eccentric cylindrical portion between said concentric portions, said outer annular control body having a concentric annular cylindrical portion having a large diameter and being provided with an annular outer part of said control face, and an eccentric annular cylindrical portion having a smaller diameter than said annular cylindrical portion;

and wherein said closure means has pressure chambers with cylindrical inner surfaces matching the outer cylindrical surfaces of said cylindrical portions and being slidingly engaged by said portions of said control bodies.

9. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said closure means has at least one counterpressure chamher; and in which said control body means has a cylindrical portion fitting into said counterpressure chamber so that pressure fluid in said counterpressure chamber produces a force counteracting said eccentric resultant force.

10. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9 wherein said control body means includes passage means for connecting said counterpressure chamber with the corresponding pressure chamber.

ll. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said two sets of rotor passages have a first set of rotor ports spaced a first radial distance from said axis, and a second set of rotor ports spaced a second radial distance from said rotor axis; and wherein said control passages have control ports spaced the same radial distances from said rotor axis as said first and second sets of rotor ports and cooperating with the same during rotation of said rotor means.

12. An arrangement as claimed in claim 11 wherein said rotor means has a rotor face having an inner rotor face portion, and an outer annular rotor face portion; wherein said inner and outer rotor face portions are axially staggered; wherein said control body means has an inner control face portion and an outer annular control face portion, said control face portions being axially staggered and slidingly engaging said inner and outer rotor face portions, respectively; wherein said first and second sets of rotor passages open in first and second rotor ports on said inner and outer rotor face portions, respectively, and wherein said control passages open in said control ports on said inner and outer control face portions, respectively. 

1. In a multiple flow device, in combination, a pressure balancing arrangement comprising rotor means rotatable about a rotor axis, and having two sets of working chambers, at least one rotor end face, and two sets of rotor passages connected with said two sets of working chambers, respectively, and opening in two radially spaced sets of rotor ports on said rotor end face; stationary closure means having inlet and outlet means, and being formed with a plurality of pressure chambers having cylindrical inner surfaces of different diameters separated by shoulders of said closure means, and including at least one first eccentric pressure chamber and at least one second eccentric pressure chamber, said eccentric pressure chambers having axes parallel to said rotor axis; and stepped control body means having at least first and second eccentric cylindricAl portions slidingly and sealingly fitting into said first and second eccentric pressure chambers, said stepped control body means having a control face cooperating with said rotor end face, said cylindrical eccentric portions having control passages therethrough opening at one end of said control body means in control ports on said control face cooperating with said rotor ports, and communicating at the other end of said control body with said inlet and outlet means whereby the pressure fluid in said first and second eccentric pressure chambers presses said control body means with said control face against said rotor end face with a resulant force compensating the eccentric pressure force produced by high pressure and low pressure fluid in said control ports during rotation of said rotor means.
 2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control passages and control ports are radially staggered; and wherein said conrol body includes wall means separating said control ports.
 3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control body means includes two control bodies, each of said control bodies having eccentric cylindrical portions slidingly and sealingly fitting into corresponding eccentric pressure chambers in said closure means.
 4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control passages include two high pressure control passages having control ports cooperating with said two sets of rotor passages and ports, respectively, and a low pressure control passage opening in two low pressure control ports cooperating with said two sets of rotor passages and ports.
 5. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 further comprising annular ball bearing means supporting said rotor means in said closure means for rotation about said rotor axis; and wherein said control body means is located within said annular ball bearing means.
 6. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein one means of said rotor means and control body means includes a valve plate having the respective face of said rotor face and control face, and having ports cooperating with the ports of the respective other face of said rotor face and control face.
 7. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control body means has a concentric cylindrical portion of large diameter provided with said control face, and a concentric cylindrical portion of small diameter at the end remote from said control face, and wherein said closure means has concentric cylindrical inner surfaces slidingly matching the outer cylindrical surfaces of said concentric cylindrical portions.
 8. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control body means includes an inner control body and an outer annular control body surrounding said inner control body, said inner control body having a concentric cylindrical portion of large diameter provided with a part of said control face, a concentric cylindrical portion of samll diameter at the end remote from said part of said control surface, and an eccentric cylindrical portion between said concentric portions, said outer annular control body having a concentric annular cylindrical portion having a large diameter and being provided with an annular outer part of said control face, and an eccentric annular cylindrical portion having a smaller diameter than said annular cylindrical portion; and wherein said closure means has pressure chambers with cylindrical inner surfaces matching the outer cylindrical surfaces of said cylindrical portions and being slidingly engaged by said portions of said control bodies.
 9. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said closure means has at least one counterpressure chamber; and in which said control body means has a cylindrical portion fitting into said counterpressure chamber so that pressure fluid in said counterpressure chamber produces a force counteracting said eccentric resultant force.
 10. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9 wherein said control body means includes passage means for Connecting said counterpressure chamber with the corresponding pressure chamber.
 11. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said two sets of rotor passages have a first set of rotor ports spaced a first radial distance from said axis, and a second set of rotor ports spaced a second radial distance from said rotor axis; and wherein said control passages have control ports spaced the same radial distances from said rotor axis as said first and second sets of rotor ports and cooperating with the same during rotation of said rotor means.
 12. An arrangement as claimed in claim 11 wherein said rotor means has a rotor face having an inner rotor face portion, and an outer annular rotor face portion; wherein said inner and outer rotor face portions are axially staggered; wherein said control body means has an inner control face portion and an outer annular control face portion, said control face portions being axially staggered and slidingly engaging said inner and outer rotor face portions, respectively; wherein said first and second sets of rotor passages open in first and second rotor ports on said inner and outer rotor face portions, respectively, and wherein said control passages open in said control ports on said inner and outer control face portions, respectively. 